1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a positioning system, and more particularly to a positioning system and method using a mobile Internet signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, positioning technology has been commonly used in various fields such as navigation devices for vehicles and ships, and positioning systems for mobile communication terminals.
Types of commonly used positioning technology include a global positioning system (GPS) signal and a pilot signal of an access point (or a base station).
The positioning technology using the GPS signal calculates ranges between a satellite and GPS receivers using a code that is transmitted by a carrier of the GPS signal transmitted from the GPS satellite, and determines positions of the GPS receivers using the calculated ranges.
The positioning technology using the pilot signal of the access point calculates ranges between the access point and access terminals using a pseudo random noise (PN) phase of the pilot channel transmitted from time-synchronized access points, and determines positions of the terminals using the calculated ranges.
However, although the positioning technology using the GPS signal can easily perform the position determination in an open sky environment where the GPS signal is strengthened, it cannot perform the position determination in a downtown area, shaded area, indoor area and other areas where the GPS signal is weakened.
Furthermore, the positioning technology using the pilot signal of a mobile communication network causes a large receiving error due to a high resolution of the pilot signal, and cannot perform an accurate position determination due to a receiving error caused when a repeater exists between the access point and an access terminal.
Accordingly, a more accurate positioning technology having improved performance over the positioning technologies using the GPS signal and the pilot signal of the access point is necessary.
Recently, a mobile Internet system has been developed for use with a mobile communication having nationwide service area and high mobility and a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) supporting an indoor, ultrahigh-speed transmission. This portable Internet system makes it possible to obtain or use diverse information and content by accessing the Internet at high speed using a mobile terminal.
The mobile Internet system described above does not consider the receiving error due to the repeater since it has a high signal receiving rate, and does not require the repeater even in the weak signal areas. Accordingly, the mobile Internet system can perform a more accurate and efficient position determination than the positioning methods using the existing pilot signal and the GPS signal, using the mobile Internet signal.